Wichita eagle., 1887-04-16
ns, for an honr when tia leader SnddonlF

beneath the branches and ciambered over the
fallen trunks of the trees, we were greeted
with the call of the night owl and the invisi
BILE scampering about of its winged denizens-
We finally reached an open space, where q
few saplings grew among the stumps Of their
girantic predecessors, and here Judge L. held
bis court.
As l scanned rather hastily the crowd, l
was wildly impressed with two facts, viz,
that we are a martial people, and that in
spite of the constant failures in the court
room we still love justice. Some had mus
kets, which had been "out In 1872" and the
Mexican war, others double barreled squirrel
shooting, others again swords which had gilt
tered at many militia parade, but the ma
iority had bright new navy revolvers. That
we loved justice was equally apparent from
the zeal with which the culprit was guarded
and the determination that he should pay the
penalty of his Inisdeed.
Owing to the passing Of the clouds which
constantly obscured the moon-ths fitful and
uncertain light of the hand lamps carried by
the crowd, the laudable desire Of each patri-
OF to be in the front, and my own equally
praiseworthy desire to be in the background
i cannot go very accurately into the de-
tails Of this tribunal of the people, but Will
come as close to the facts the excitement
and surrounding circumstances Will permit.
In the first place the hitherto ticiturn mob
suddenly broke into an angry sea OF oaths
and sbonts. and there was rushing back
ward and forward and here and there the
renort of a pistol, showing that there was
divided court even in the temple Of Judge
Lynch One group, however, had thrown
rope over the top of young sapling, and
while brawny arms adjusted knot OF it and
bent it towards the earth, other brawny arms
and violent hands were dragging Bill on his
knees towards the moose, vainly struggling
and begging for mercy.
See here boys" suddenly said the leader,
who was either presiding judge or prosecutor
pro tenl., as be blew fake of snow off the
barrel Of his rife, aren't we going tribe
too fast, There are two ways Of doing
tbing-and we needn't initiate him IN that
partikler. Has Bill confesseda II he hain't
whar's the edentificationN "What!" shouted
one who was Juggling at the impromptu gal
lows, "Do you suppose that l am going to
hold this tree down all night"
"Why, Tom see him kill Berry and the con
ductor.' shouted dozen voices in unison.
4And here's Matt and Nate seed him shoot
theDutchman. Why, Long Jim, what Is the
matter with you!" cried still another.
Oh, yes, there was plenty of proof How
prompt and swift were the witnesses and how
full and responsive their memories. Ola
friends and new ones, companions and enc
mics, stood up and poured out their knoWi-
edge against the hunted and craven creature,
ard unfolded his character as idler, hummer,
drunkard, wife beaten. thief and homicide! 1t
was true there was no Mallory Jock to bully
and hector them in a SO called cross-eXamlna-
ton; nor Judge Wigglewaggle to frown
upon the stupid and smile upon the impudent
and bold and no sympathetic fringe OF peo-
Pile who love to help the under. dog. But
probably the one circumstance which told
most strongly against him in the leaders
mind was the crouching attitude and the
heartrending appeals for mercy.
This satisfied even Long Jim of the truth
of the charges and he rested his rife upon the
ground, and, with a gesture, invited the exc
cutioneIs to perform the peoples idea Of JUS
tee. which they did with frenzied shout Of
JOY.
But this was nigh. of surprises Amid
the yelling, struggling and swearing there
arose the cry of Sheriff Sheriff. and the
crowd opened and for few minutes paused,
listened and looked eagerly toward the pike.
Sure enough, the Gathering sound of gallop-
inc horse could be distinctly heard coming
near ard nearer, and in another moment a
white horse bearing the county officer dashes
recklessiy through the crowd, which opens to
let him IN and then closes behind him.
make way, hold on stand back" cried the
burly rider, waving bis revolver and alight-
ing close to the prisoner, whom he wrenched
81, hnIl thnc
ling down. "I'll shoot the first man that
moves. This is my man. In the name of the
commonwealth l arrest
he did not finish the sentence, for suddenly
there pa ssed above his head a formidable piece
of wood and then the sheriff, his slouched
hat and pocket gun were knocked in three
different directions, and the big, stalwart
officer fell with such force upon the ground
that it was several seconds before he turned
over, rose upon his knees, and rubbed his
hend and shoulder and looked around in a
confused way for the supposed thunderbolt
which had struck him.
"Georgey, my boy" said one of the laugh
ing bystanders as the dazed sheriff brushed
the dirt from his face and felt on the ground
for his revolver, don't you know it is con-
tempt of court to interrupt it with your circus
business Be mum, now, dye hear-and shet
your eyes and ears, or you'll get worse nor
that"
The sheriff took the hint, for be crawled
aside to the stump of tree, and crouching
behind iC, watched slyly the sinister proceed
ings.
But another man had been watching the
unexpected interruption and saw in it the
one golden opportunity of his life, and this
was the prisoner. The man that held him
had been knocked down by the reckless RIDER,
and the horse was standing tossing its head
within two feet of him. Bill saw his chance,
and III a flash mounted the horse, Ncrouched
almost fiat on the name, and struck boldly out
for liberty.
As he plunged beneath the branches, and
shot past the trees, a running fire of pistol
shots followed him, scattering the bark and
branches, but missing the fugitive in the OBJ
scurity, who kicked, tugged, and dashed the
frightened horse into wild leaps and plunges
To NE this was better than the deus ex ma
china of the ancient play, that Bill should es-
cape by his own efforts. l wished him sue
cess for obvious reasons What We're the
precepts Of Coke, the explanations Of Kent.
and the judgments of Marshall-what were
law colleges with their professors, moot
courts and hbraries--and what even were
courts of justice. with its juries and talking
lawyers-f this were 10 be the tribunal of
the future. The music of the future had dis
cords enough which arose from other causes
than the sharps and flats arranged i'll lines by
Wagner; but what would become OF ones
nerves if Justice Lynch were the justice Of
the futurei So the flying BIZ had at least